Communication

Check against communication to talk your way out situations. This isn't poetry, this is the meaner language of bargains, insults, and rumors. Merchants are held in low esteem in Shiyan, so this is not a glamorous skill, but the persuasive get things done.

• Buy: To buy an item you check against your communication score. Success lets you purchase a reasonable item, a failure still gets you the item but you're strapped. An expensive item costs you a profit just to make the check, and a failure costs you another profit (or you're strapped if you have no profit to lose). Extravagant items cost a treasure just to check. Rare items have a penalty to the check, and risky items still cost you to check but you get nothing back on a failure.
• Monitor: Use a project and a successful check to learn rumors in populated regions. Dangerous opponents and local goals both usually show up as rumors.
• Persuade: You try to talk someone around to your point of view. This is a social attack and you roll your voice effects. Each opponent you knock out either agrees with you or gives up trying to resist your position. Persuasion can be gentle or taunting, but has the same effect either way. Unreasonable positions get penalties. See disputes for more.
• Quip: You use a snap and get an extra retort.
• Retort: You contest a social attack with your communication score. A retort requires a defense but cooperates with all other targets of the attack, and you don't have to be the original target.
• Sell: You may use a project to sell items as a complication. The target is 5 to eliminate strapped or earn a profit, and 50 to earn a treasure. Each check you lose 1 reasonable item, plus a number of items equal to your margin either way. An expensive item is sold with a single communication check. If it succeeds you gain 2 profit and if it fails you only gain 1. Extravagant items are sold the same but for treasure. Rare items gain a bonus to the check.

Associated Abilities

• Banter: Your voice gains +1dE and you gain a bonus on refuse checks.
• Bargain: You spend a few days shopping around for Rare items or trying to get a good deal. Roll a Check, and if you succeed you can buy the item for one Cash Bill less. On a Bad roll you can’t find a deal and make no purchase at all. Rare items apply a –1 Penalty to the roll, and Scarce items are –2 to buy at all.
• Manipulate: You gain a bonus on persuade checks. Pick a target and gain an extra bonus on all social checks against them. Once you choose a new target you have a penalty against the previous target.
• Network: You gain a bonus on monitor checks to get rumors or gather information. You can spend a focus to create a friendly contact in a location who remains until killed or provoked.
• Preach: You have the Ordained Clergy asset. You may use magic provided by your religion.

See Also

• Ability

Ability Cost

Score	Save	Points	Label	Description
1	(1)	0	Amateur	You dabble, or try to get by on luck.
2	(1)	1	Proficient	You are trained and competent.
3	(2)	2	Expert	You are talented or extensively trained.
4	(2)	3	Master	You are an accomplished expert.
5	(3)	4	Genius	You have a rare and extraordinary gift.
6	(3)	5	Paragon	You are the greatest of all time.

Version 2.5.2
©2014 Frameworks Games

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